April 11, 2024 — The World Council of Optometry (WCO), in collaboration with the American Optometric Association (AOA) and the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA), will host the fifth annual World Congress of Optometry during the 128th annual AOA Congress and the 57th annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting 2025. The event is set to take place June 25-28, 2025, at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, MN.

WCO president Sandra S. Block, O.D., calls this a momentous decision, saying that WCO has learned a lot from AOA leadership over the years. “As WCO focuses on advocacy on the global level, we take the knowledge and lessons learned to build optometry beyond the borders of North America,” she says. “We look forward to working together with AOA and AOSA to make the fifth World Congress of Optometry one that will deliver great insight and education to help strengthen the profession globally.”

WCO shares that attendees of next year’s event can expect “a convergence of global perspectives and innovative solutions” to address WCO’s mission of universal access to high-quality eye health and vision care, advance optometry worldwide, and champion eye health as a fundamental human right. The event will feature presentations, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities, enabling attendees to engage with leading industry experts and explore cutting-edge optometric innovations.

"This precedent-setting connection of Optometry’s Meeting with WCO’s World Congress provides us with a unique opportunity to highlight the great collaboration and synergies we have as organizations and as a global optometric community,” says AOA president Ronald L. Benner, O.D.

“As future leaders in optometry, students are excited for this unparalleled chance to engage with global experts through the collaboration of the WCO, AOA, and AOSA,” says AOSA president and Ohio State University College of Optometry student Emily Benson. “We’re not just preparing for the future of optometry, but actively shaping it to ensure our patients receive the eye care they deserve.”